Kerala uses adoption fee to raise hens, care for pets: CAG report slams govt
The CAG report also found procedural delays in Thiruvananthapuram regarding the medical examination of children with special needs.
The CAG report also found procedural delays in Thiruvananthapuram regarding the medical examination of children with special needs.
The CAG report also found procedural delays in Thiruvananthapuram regarding the medical examination of children with special needs.
The latest report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has flagged serious lapses and mismanagement in the functioning of the Specialised Adoption Agencies (SAAs) in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam. According to the report, adoption fees meant exclusively for child welfare and adoption-related activities were diverted for unrelated expenses — including fish and hen farming, pet animal maintenance, cable and internet bills, and two-wheeler repairs. In Thiruvananthapuram, ₹16.91 lakh of adoption fees were used to meet staff salary expenses. “However, no action was seen taken against the SAAs for the non-permissible use of adoption fees,” the CAG observed.
Under Regulation 2(3) of the Adoption Regulations, 2017 and 2022, adoption fees collected from prospective adoptive parents (PaPs) — either directly or through authorised agencies — can only be used for the welfare of children, maintenance of the home, and expenses related to finalising adoptions. The rules also empower authorities to suspend or revoke the recognition of any SAA found to have misused or diverted such funds.
In its reply to the audit (April 2024), the Kerala government stated that directions would be issued to the respective District Child Protection Officers (DCPOs) to examine the matter and submit inquiry reports, based on which further action would be taken.
The CAG report also found procedural delays in Thiruvananthapuram regarding the medical examination of children with special needs. The District Medical Officer (DMO) failed to conduct health assessments within the prescribed 15-day period, with delays ranging from 228 to 275 days.
As per Regulation 36(8) of the Adoption Regulations, 2022, the District Magistrate must refer children with suspected health issues or special needs to the DMO within 24 hours of receiving such information. The DMO is then required to complete the examination and issue a Medical Examination Report (MER) within 15 days.
The CAG noted that the delay in medical examinations hindered the timely declaration of children as legally free for adoption, thereby reducing their chances of being placed in families. The Kerala government, in its response, stated that the MERs were forwarded to the DMOs through the Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System (CARINGS) portal and that, following government intervention, the pending reports were completed and updated.
However, the CAG termed this justification inadequate, stating that such prolonged delays could significantly affect adoption prospects, particularly for children with special needs. “This step of medical examination and issue of MER must be accorded top priority,” the report emphasised.